Review Ch. #15
Earth's average temperature has risen by how much in the past 100 years?
1.5°F
Earth's average temperature is expected to rise by a maximum of how much in the next 100 years?
11.5°F
What percentage of U.S. homes are estimated to have lead-based paint hazards?
25 percent
According to experts, what percentage of trash is recyclable?
90%
Which inexpensive device can be attached to faucets and showerheads to reduce water consumption?
Aerator
Which compound that was formerly used in construction materials has been found to be the cause of certain cancers and lung diseases?
Asbestos
Motor vehicle exhaust is a source of which odorless, colorless gas that also contributes to the formation of smog?
Carbon monoxide
Currently, India is the most populous country in the world.
False
Most solid municipal waste is recycled.
False
The federal government established Superfund to provide money for water conservation efforts in certain communities.
False
Toxic waste (hazardous waste) in landfills and dump sites can harm the environment but has little impact on human health.
False
Which of the following is a concern in regard to overpopulation?
Increased amount of land used for agricultural purposes
The country projected to have the largest population by 2050 is
India
Nancy bought some toys for her children that were made in China. What dangerous chemical might have been used in their manufacture?
Lead
The average person in the United States generates how many pounds of municipal solid waste each day?
More than 4
Radiation exposure is measured in which of the following units (also called roentgens)?
Radiation absorbed doses
Which naturally occurring odorless, colorless gas seeps into homes and is the second-leading cause of lung cancer?
Radon
Long-term exposure to formaldehyde can lead to
cancer and central nervous system disorders.
Air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act include all of the following EXCEPT
carbon dioxide
The primary greenhouse gas is
carbon dioxide.
A measure of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, shown as units of carbon dioxide emissions, is the
carbon footprint.
All of the following statements regarding the safety of cell phones are true EXCEPT
cell phones pose a clear risk of human tissue damage.
The chemical originally contained in aerosol propellants that is thought to have contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer is
chlorofluorocarbons
All of the following are examples of renewable resources EXCEPT
coal
Marta collects kitchen scraps and yard clippings in a bin outside of her home to create this soil enhancement for her garden. She is
composting
A decibel level of 110 is 10 times louder than 100 decibels.
True
Cigarette smoke releases particulates into the air and is perhaps the greatest source of indoor air pollution.
True
Evidence suggests that air within homes and buildings can be 10 to 40 times more hazardous than outdoor air.
True
Oil, coal, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels, which are carbon-based fuels.
True
One in four animals is threatened with extinction because of population growth as a result of human activity.
True
Runoff from a parking lot is considered nonpoint source pollution.
True
The climate change that has occurred over the last 100 years is primarily due to human activities.
True
Which of the following countries has the largest "ecological footprint"?
United States
Smog tends to form in areas that experience
a temperature inversion
A measure of how clean or polluted the air in a given region is on a particular day is the
air quality index
Sound is measured in
decibels
Climate change challenges include all the following EXCEPT
expansion of glaciers.
The average number of births a female in a given population has during her reproductive years is the
fertility rate.
You have been looking at numerous new homes. The nausea and fatigue you are attributing to the stress of buying a new house may actually be due to exposure to
formaldehyde
Gases that accumulate in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming by trapping heat near Earth's surface are
greenhouse gases
Chemicals used to kill weeds and vegetation are
herbicides
All of the following are consequences of population growth EXCEPT
higher healthcare costs
The ozone layer is
in the stratosphere and protects the planet from UVB radiation
The release of particles and electromagnetic rays from atomic nuclei during the normal process of disintegration produces
ionizing radiation.
You are surveying your home for sources of lead because
lead can be extremely detrimental to children and fetuses.
The human body does not excrete polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) but instead stores them in the
liver and fatty tissues.
Seth has a sensitivity to mold. When he visits his grandparents and spends time in their damp basement in his grandfather's wood shop, he likely experiences all of the following EXCEPT
migraine headaches.
Electric utilities and motor vehicles emit
nitrogen dioxide.
Acid deposition mainly consists of airborne deposits of sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides.
When trying to ensure clean air in your home, sources of pollution to look for include all of the following EXCEPT
nitroglycerine
The accident that results when the temperature in the core of a nuclear reactor increases enough to melt the fuel and breach the containment vessel is called a
nuclear meltdown.
An example of a point source water pollutant is
outflow from a sewage treatment plant.
The process of formaldehyde being released into the air is referred to as
outgassing
Smog is sometimes called
ozone pollution
An example of a nonpoint source water pollutant is
pesticide runoff from a farm.
Chemicals used to kill insects and rodents are
pesticides
The two general types of water pollution are described as
point source and nonpoint source.
The term for an environmental contaminant that causes potential harm to living organisms is
pollutant
Sources of water contamination include all of the following EXCEPT
radon
Most experts agree that a key step in slowing climate change is to
reduce consumption of fossil fuels.
Reasons for continued population growth in many developing nations include all of the following circumstances for women EXCEPT
rising economic status.
A colorless gas that dissolves in water vapor to form acid and is emitted from coal-fired power plants is
sulfur dioxide.
Economic development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations is called
sustainable development.
Climate change includes all of the following features EXCEPT
the end of seasonal variations.
Increases in the planet's temperature over the past few decades can be attributed to
the enhanced greenhouse effect
Experts analyze the carrying capacity of the earth to figure out
the maximum population the earth can support.
All of the following statements about particulates are true EXCEPT
they have few health effects.
Proponents of zero population growth believe that the earth's population would stabilize if the number of offspring allowed to each couple was
two